Pharmacological Effects of Rosa Damascena
Rosa damascena mill L., known as Gole Mohammadi in is one of the most important species of Rosaceae family flowers. R. damascena is an ornamental plant and beside perfuming effect, several pharmacological properties including anti-HIV, antibacterial, antioxidant, antitussive, hypnotic, antidiabetic, and relaxant effect on tracheal chains have been reported for this plant. This article is a comprehensive review on pharmacological effects of R. damascena.
Rosa damascena mill L, commonly known as Damask rose, is known as Gole Mohammadi in Iran . It is one of the most important species of Rosaceae family. Rosaceae are well- known ornamental plants and have been referred to as the king of flowers . At present time, over 200 rose species and more than 18000 cultivars form of the plant have been identified . Apart from the use of R. damascena as ornamental plants in parks, gardens, and houses, they are principally cultivated for using in perfume, medicine and food industry . However, R. damascena is mainly known for its perfuming effects . The rose water were scattered at weddings to ensure a happy marriage and are symbol of love and purity and are also used to aid meditation and prayer.
There is a strong bond between Iranians and this plant. Its popularity is not only because of the medicinal effects but also is due to holy beliefs about it. People call this plant Flower of Prophet Mohammed (Gole mohammadi), because they believe its nice aroma reminds them of prophet Mohammad .
At the present time, this plant is cultivated in Iran (especially in Kashan) for preparing rose water and essential oil . Because of the low oil content in R. damascena and the lack of natural and synthetic substitutes, essential rose oil of this plant is one of the most expensive ones in the world markets .
The R. damascena has also been used for medicinal purposes . Various products and isolated constituents from flowers, petals and hips (seed-pot) of this plant have been studied in a variety of in vivo and in vitro studies. However, there are not any reviews to collect pharmacological effects of R. damascena in the present time. Therefore, in this review we collect and discuss important pharmacological effects of R. damascena that recently have been published in numerous studies.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Several components were isolated from flowers, petals and hips (seed-pot) of R. damascena including terpenes, glycosides, flavonoids, and anthocyanins . This plant contains carboxylic acid , myrcene , vitamin C , kaempferol and quarcetin. Flowers also contain a bitter principle, tanning matter, fatty oil and organic acids . Loghmani-Khouzani et al (2007) found more than 95 macro- and micro-components in the essential oil of R. damascena from the Kashan regions of . Among them, eighteen compounds represented more than 95% of the total oil. The identified compounds were; β-citronellol (14.5-47.5%), nonadecane (10.5-40.5%), geraniol (5.5-18%), and nerol and kaempferol were the major components of the oil (2). Analyses of rose absolute showed that phenyl ethylalcohol (78.38%), citrenellol (9.91%), nonadecane (4.35%) and geraniol (3.71%) ethanol (0.00-13.43%), and heneicosane were the major compounds (35). In another study, the composition of rose was phenyl ethylalcohol (72.73–73.80%), citrenellol (10.62–11.26%), nerol (2.42–2.47%), and geranial (5.58–5.65%) (36). Hydrosol was also found to contain four constituents; geraniol was the major compound (30.74%) followed by citrenellol (29.44%), phenyl ethylalcohol (23.74%), and nerol (16.12%) (9, 35).
The medicinal properties of R. damascena
Antibacterial effects
R. damascena has wide spectrum antibacterial activities
against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, B.
subtilis, Staph. aureus, Chromobacterium violaceum and
Erwinia carotovora strains. The most sensitive
microorganism against rose essential oil was C. violaceum. E.
coli was also sensitive against rose essential. Rose absolute
also showed antibacterial activity against both gram-negative
and gram-positive bacteria . The essential oil of R.
damascena remarkably inhibited the growth of the three
strains of Xanthomonas axonopodis spp. The in vitro
antibacterial activities of essential oil from R. damasce were
also shown by disk diffusion testing against E. coli, Staph.
aureus and Ps. aeruginosa. R. Damascena showed
antimicrobial activity against Staph. aureus in this study .
Antibacterial effect of major components of rose oil
(citronellol, geraniol and nerol) was reported. Therefore,
Antibacterial effect of rose oil maybe mediated by these
components. Antibacterial properties of rose absolute could
be attributed to its high phenylethyl alcohol content. The
antimicrobial properties of alcohols have been known for a
long time
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
R. damascena posse’s antioxidant properties. The antioxidant
activity of hydro-alcoholic extract of petals and essential oil
of this plant was also evaluated by DPPH for measurement of
free radical scavenging activity and by ferric ammonium
thiocyanate method for evaluation of lipid peroxidation
properties. Additionally, three flavonol glycosides of
ethanolic extract including quercetin-3-O-glucoside,
kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside and kaempferol-3-O-arabinoside
have antioxidant activity. However, the potential of this effect
is maybe due to existence of quercetin 3-O-glucoside and
other flavonoids in the extract . Damask Rose showed a
potent antioxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory effects
comparable to Vitamin E suggesting that the rose can be a
method of treatment and prevention of many free radical
diseases. The rose also contains vitamin C which has
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects In a recent
study, the effects of a rose-flower extract on the mortality rate
of Drosophila melanogaster was evaluated. Supplementing
Drosophila with the plant extract resulted in a statistically
significant decrease in mortality rate in male and female flies.
The study also observed anti-aging effects of the flower
Therefore; R. damascena can extend Drosophila life span
without affecting physiological mechanisms
R. damascena effect on respiratory function
This plant significantly reduce number of coughs induced by
citric acid, in guinea pigs. The potent relaxant effect of extract
and essential oil that was comparable to that of theophylline
activity and inhibited the amyloid β (Aβ), the major cause of
Alzheimer.
Anticonvulsant effect
Flavonoids and other components of essential oil of R.
damascena such as geraniol and eugenol maybe involved in
protecting against epileptic seizures and showed a significant
reduction in the mean frequency of seizures in patients using
essential oil of the rose. Therefore, the essential oil of R.
damascena has beneficial antiepileptic effect in children with
refractory seizures .
Anti-HIV effects
The effect of water and methanol extracts of R. damascena
has shown anti-HIV infection activities. Kaempferol 1 and its
3-O-β-D-glucopyranosides 3 and 6 exhibited the greatest
activity against HIV infection of C8166 cells. Compound 8, a
new natural product exhibited some anti-HIV activity, due to
the presence of the galloyl moiety since 2-phenylethanol-O-β-
D-glucopyranoside was inactive .
Glucose lowering effect
Oral administration of the methanol extract of R. damascena
plant significantly decreased blood glucose. Anti-diabetic
effect of this rose maybe mediated by inhibition of α-
glucosidase that suppressed carbohydrate absorption from the
small intestine and can reduce the postprandial glucose level
In addition, methanol extract inhibited postprandial
hyperglycemia similar to of acarbose. R. damascena is a
potent inhibitor of α-glucosidase enzyme .
Culinary uses
Damask roses are used in cooking as a flavoring ingredient or
spice. Rose water and powdered roses are used in Middle
Eastern cuisines. Rose water is often sprinkled on meat
dishes, while rose powder is added to sauces. Whole flowers,
or petals, are also used in the herbal tea "zuhurat" or the
flower tea which is very common in Syria and it is believed to
have medicinal use during winter to fight cold and flu. In
other countries of the Middle East, the most popular use is in
the flavoring of desserts such as ice cream, jam, Turkish
delights, rice pudding, and yogurt.
Western cuisines do not use roses or their products much
although it was a popular ingredient in ancient times and
continued to be popular well into the Renaissance. It was
most commonly used in desserts, and still is a flavor in
traditional desserts.